2008I do not have all the data to run the model before the
2008 season, so I am unable to show how USC performed in the
previous seasons with head coach Carroll. As such, I can only evaluate based on the
data that I have and the model that I am using is the same since the
2008 season. That said, USC finished the 2008 regular season at 11-1. USC was
bowl eligible and defeated #4 ranked Penn State 38-24 in the Rose Bowl. USC played against an "average" strength of schedule
(SOS) as compared to the "league" average, meaning that their actual
SOS was within one standard deviation of the "league"
average SOS. USC's best game was their Rose Bowl
victory over #4 Penn State and their only
loss was 21-27 to #28 ranked Oregon State. Overall, the Trojan's had the #2 most productive college football
team with the #12 ranked offense and the #1 ranked defense.

2010USC enters the 2010 season on a two year bowl ban and with a new head coach, Lane Kiffin. USC
finished the regular season
at 8-5 while playing
against a "average" strength of schedule
(SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS. The Trojan's best game
was a 49-36
victory over #13 ranked Hawai'i and their worst game was a consecutive
loss to #87 ranked Washington. USC finished the season with the
#52
ranked
team in overall productivity with the #42 ranked offense and the #75
ranked defense.

2011In Kiffin's second season as head football coach the Trojans finished at 10-2. USC played an
"average" strength of schedule
(SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS.
The Trojan's best game was a 38-35
victory over #8 ranked Oregon and their worst
game was a 22-43 loss was to #62 ranked Arizona State. USC had the #27
ranked
team in terms of total production with the #16 ranked offense and the #47 ranked defense.

2012The Trojans finished the regular season at 7-5 with a bowl loss to #50 Georgia Tech. USC played against a "tougher" strength of schedule
(SOS) as compared to the "league" average, meaning that their actual
SOS was between one and two standard deviations lower than the "league"
average SOS. The Trojan's best
game was a
38-17 victory over #24 ranked Arizona State and their worst
loss was to #61 ranked Arizona 36-39. Overall, the Trojans had the #46
ranked
team with the #42 ranked offense and the #42 ranked defense.2013Lane Kiffin only lasted five games into the 2013 season (3-2). USC finished the regular season at 9-4 and defeated #19 Fresno State in the bowl game. and played against an
"average" strength of schedule
(SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS. The Trojan's best game was their bowl
victory over Fresno State and their worst
loss was to #81 ranked Washington. Overall, the Trojans had the #34
ranked
team with the #38 ranked offense and the #36 ranked defense.

Steve Sarkisian (2014 - 2015) as head football coach

2014USC hires Steve Sarkisian away from Washington for the 2014 season. USC finished the regular season at 8-4 and defeated #40 ranked Nebraska in their bowl game to end the season at 9-4. USC again played against an
"average" strength of schedule
(SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS. This season the Trojan's best game was a
victory over #20 ranked Stanford and their worst
loss was to #62 ranked Utah. Overall, the Trojans had the #26
ranked
team with the #27 ranked offense and the #56 ranked defense.

2015
Steve Sarkisian only made it through half of the regular season with a 3-2 record.
At the time of Sarkisian's departure USC played against an
"average" strength of schedule
(SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS. The Trojan's best game was a
victory over (at the time) #44 ranked Arizona State and their worst
loss was to (at the time) #36 ranked Stanford. At the time of Sarkisian's departure USC had the #7
ranked
team in total production with the #23 ranked offense and the #14 ranked defense.